Prospective memory: Effects of divided attention on spontaneous retrieval

We examined the effects of divided attention on the spontaneous retrieval of a prospective memory intention. Participants performed an ongoing lexical decision task with an embedded prospective memory demand, and also performed a divided-attention task during some segments of lexical decision trials. In all experiments, monitoring was highly discouraged, and we observed no evidence that participants engaged monitoring processes. In Experiment 1, performing a moderately demanding divided-attention task (a digit detection task) did not affect prospective memory performance. In Experiment 2, performing a more challenging divided-attention task (random number generation) impaired prospective memory. Experiment 3 showed that this impairment was eliminated when the prospective memory cue was perceptually salient. Taken together, the results indicate that spontaneous retrieval is not automatic and that challenging divided-attention tasks interfere with spontaneous retrieval and not with the execution of a retrieved intention.     

Single and concurrent discrimination learning by monkeys after lesions of inferotemporal cortex

Three monkeys with bilateral lesions of inferotemporal cortex and three unoperated controls (all previously sophisticated at visual discriminations) learned 60 discriminations between pairs of multi-featured computer-generated patterns. They then learned 5 problem sets, each composed of 5 pairs of the same kind learned concurrently, and finally 20 more single discriminations.

Previous reports that inferotemporal lesions selectively impair concurrent learning were disconfirmed; given practice at learning pairs concurrently, the inferotemporals learned these at a similar rate to single pairs. Analysis of intra-problem learning supported the suggestion that the lesion affects visual identification (the ability to distinguish objects within a large population) rather than visual association or memory.     

Situational Content Moderates the Association Between the Big Five Personality Traits and Behavioral Effectiveness

It has been suggested that self-regulatory goal processes are pervasive and powerful determinants of human behavior. Behavior, in turn, is thought to influence both emotions and cognitions to affect future self-set goals. Although determinants and consequences of self-set goals have been examined independently in past research, there is a paucity of theoretical integration across motivational theories. In this article, major elements from social-cog- nitive and attribution theories-and some elements from expectancy and con- trol theories-are integrated with goal theory to develop a cyclical model of self-set goals. In the development and discussion of this model, we present ar- guments for (a) how self-set goals are chosen, (b) how self-set goals affect subsequent behavior, and (c) how self-set goals change over time. Hypotheses are proposed, theoretical implications are discussed, and future research di- rections are suggested.     

The Gendered Expressions of Self-Control: Manifestations of Noncriminal Deviance Among Females

The present study explores the relationships between Gottfredson and Hirschi's (1990 Gottfredson , Michael R. and Hirschi , Travis . 1990 . A General Theory of Crime . Stanford , CA : Stanford University Press . [Google Scholar]) concept of low self-control and two forms of deviance more common among females than males, borderline personality characteristics and eating disorders. Ordinary least squares regression models revealed that self-control was significantly associated with both borderline personality characteristics and eating disorder symptoms among a sample of 161 female undergraduates. The findings of the present study highlight the potential utility in expanding our focus of the effects of low self-control beyond traditional analogous behaviors, especially when attempting to understand female behavior.     

You must have been a beautiful baby: ratings of infant facial attractiveness fail to predict ratings of adult attractiveness

Facial attractiveness has been studied extensively, but little research has examined the stability of facial attractiveness of individuals across different stages of development. We conducted a study examining the relationship between facial attractiveness in infants (age 24 months and under) and the same individuals as young adults (age 16–18 years) using infant and adult photographs from high school yearbooks. Contrary to expectations, independent raters’ assessments of infant facial attractiveness did not correlate with adult facial attractiveness. These results are discussed in terms of the adaptive function of heightened attractiveness in infancy, which likely evolved to elicit and maintain parental care.